Emotional Clarity and Childhood Depression: Antecedents and Explanatory Mechanisms

This study examined potential antecedents and consequences deficits in child emotional clarity. It was hypothesized that deficits in child emotional clarity would confer vulnerability to depressive symptoms, and that maladaptive stress responses would account for this link. This mediational process was hypothesized to hold under conditions of high, but not low, levels of stress. Additionally, characteristics of children (i.e., temperament) and their environment (i.e., caregiver emotional clarity) were investigated as antecedents of children's emotional clarity, stress responses, and depressive symptoms. It was hypothesized that temperament and caregiver emotional clarity would have both independent and interactive effects on children's emotional clarity, stress responses, and depressive symptoms. Participants included 373 2nd-3rd grade children, their caregivers, and their teachers. Participants completed questionnaires at two waves, spaced approximately one year apart. Analyses were conducted concurrently and over time. Results revealed consistent support for the proposed associations among deficits in child emotional clarity, maladaptive stress responses, and depressive symptoms. Results revealed more modest support for the proposed antecedents of deficits in child emotional clarity, stress responses, and depressive symptoms. Findings have direct implications for intervention efforts aimed toward emotional understanding and adaptive stress responses.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Flynn, Megan

Contributors dc:contributor

• Rudolph, Karen D.

• Psychology, Developmental

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3337775

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/82161